Securities Issuance - Post-filing Waiting Period - Explained
What is the Post-Filing Waiting Period?
Written by Jason Gordon
Updated at April 6th, 2023
- Marketing, Advertising, Sales & PR
- Accounting, Taxation, and Reporting
- Professionalism & Career Development
-
Law, Transactions, & Risk Management
Government, Legal System, Administrative Law, & Constitutional Law Legal Disputes - Civil & Criminal Law Agency Law HR, Employment, Labor, & Discrimination Business Entities, Corporate Governance & Ownership Business Transactions, Antitrust, & Securities Law Real Estate, Personal, & Intellectual Property Commercial Law: Contract, Payments, Security Interests, & Bankruptcy Consumer Protection Insurance & Risk Management Immigration Law Environmental Protection Law Inheritance, Estates, and Trusts
- Business Management & Operations
- Economics, Finance, & Analytics
- Courses
What are the limitations on an issuer during the Post-Filing Waiting Period?
During the post-registration, waiting period, special rules apply to the general dissemination of information about the issuance. Generally, oral discussions or offers to buy the securities are unregulated. This allows investment banks to carry on a road show, which is a concerted effort by the bank to build a book of subscribers for the security issuance. Written offers to sell (or other solicitations) must be accompanied by a prospectus that meets statutory standards for disclosure. Anyone submitting a written request to purchase must receive a prospectus that has been reviewed and approved by the SEC. No actual sales can occur until the registration statement goes effective for any issuer.
Note: One notable exception under Rules 164 and 433, seasoned issuers and WKSI can use a free-writing prospectus, so long as it contains information on where to get the statutory prospectus. Unseasoned issuers and non-reporting issuers (IPO filers) can use free writing so long as accompanied by statutorily approved prospectus.
Next Article: Securities Registration: Post-Effective Period Back to: SECURITIES LAW
Discussion Question
Why do you think the securities laws closely regulate written disseminations of information during the post-filing period? Why do you think these are treated differently than oral communications? Should there be a free-writing prospectus exception for certain issuers? Why or why not?
Practice Question
ABC Corp is a well-known, seasoned issuer. It has made the registration statement with the SEC and is awaiting approval. Jamie is an investor and approaches ABC Corp (through its representative) with a written request to purchase a large block of shares. If ABC Corp chooses to respond to Jamie's inquiry with any information about the issuance, what are its obligations and limitations?
Related Topics
- Securities Law (Intro)
- What are Securities Laws?
- What is a Security?
- What qualifies as an Investment contract?
- What are the primary federal securities laws?
- What are the regulatory goals of security laws?
- What is the Securities and Exchange Commission?
- What is an Initial Public Offering?
- What is a Direct Public Offering?
- What is Crowdfunding?
- Securities Act of 1933
- What is an Offer to Sell securities?
- Who are the parties regulated in an offer to sell securities?
- What are the primary disclosure documents required in an offer to sell securities?
- Forward Looking
- Red Herring Prospectus (Securities) Definition
- Registration of Securities
- What is an issuer allowed to do at each stage of the registration process?
- How are issuers classified for purposes of the registration and offering process?
- What is an issuer allowed to do during the Pre-filing Period?
- What are the limitations on the issuer during the Post-filing, Waiting Period?
- What is an issuer allowed to do during the Post-Effective Period?
- What is an Emerging-Growth Company?
- What type of information must an issuer disclose?
- What laws govern the mechanics of disclosure in a securities offering?
- Deficiency Letter (Securities Law)
- Registration Exemptions Securities Act of 1933
- What are Exempt Securities and Exempt Transactions?
- What are Restricted Securities?
- Section 3(a)?
- Section 3(b)?
- What is a Rule 147 Exemption?
- What is a Section 4(a) Exemption?
- Section 4(a)(5)?
- What is a Regulation A Exemption?
- What are Regulation D Exemptions?
- What is a Rule 504 Exemption?
- What is a Rule 505 Exemption?
- What is a Rule 506(b) Exemption?
- What is a Rule 506(c) Exemption?
- What is Rule 502(d) and the Rule 144 Safe Harbor?
- Rule 144a
- What are the disclosure requirements for companies employing an exemption?
- What is the requirement to file Form D?
- What is the effect of failing to register an offering under Section 5?
- Liability Under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1933
- What is civil liability under Section 11 of the 33 Act?
- What is civil liability under Section 12 of the 33 Act?
- What are defenses available to charges under Sections 11 and 12?
- What is civil liability under Section 17 of the 33 Act?
- What is potential criminal liability under the 33 Act?
- The Security Exchange Act of 1934
- When must an issuer register pursuant to the 34 Act?
- What disclosures are required of reporting companies under the 34 Act?
- What is liability under Section 10(b) and Rule 10(b)(5)?
- What is insider trading under Rule 10(b)(5)?
- What damages are available under Section 10 and Rule 10(b)(5)?
- What is insider trading under Section 14 of the 34 Act?
- What is liability under Section 16 of the 34 Act?
- What is liability under Section 18 of the 34 Act?
- What is criminal liability under the 34 Act?
- Liability under the Securities Enforcement Remedies Act?
- Blue Sky Laws State Securities Laws
- What are Blue Sky Laws?
- When is an issuer required to comply with state securities laws?
- What are the registration requirements under state law?
- What is Coordinated Registration under state law?
